Joshua 14
14
The Division of the Land West of the Jordan
1Eleazar the priest, # 14:1 Eleazar was the son and successor of Aaron (see Deut. 10:6). Yahweh had instructed Moses to include the tribal leaders in the allotment of land to the Israelites. See Num. 34:16–29. Eleazar was mentioned before Joshua because the high priest presided over the drawing of lots, for he bore the Urim and Thummim on his breastplate. A traditional account of this event is stated in the Talmud: “Eleazar was wearing the Urim and Thummim, while Joshua and all Israel stood before him. An urn containing the names of the tribes and an urn containing descriptions of the boundaries were placed before him. Animated by the Holy Spirit, he gave directions, exclaiming, ‘Zebulun is coming up and boundaries of Acco came up with it.’ Thereupon, he shook well the urn of the tribes and Zebulun came up in his hand. Likewise, he shook well the urn of the boundaries and boundary of the line of Acco came up in his hand; . . . and so with the other tribes.” (See Bava Batra 122a.) Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders divided the land west of the Jordan among the people of Israel as their inheritance. 2By drawing lots, Eleazar assigned territory to the nine and a half tribes, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. # 14:2 See Num. 26:52–56. 3-4The descendants of Joseph were divided into two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. Moses had already granted land east of the Jordan, but the tribe of Levi did not receive land as their inheritance. However, they were assigned cities in which to live and pasturelands for their property and livestock. # 14:3–4 See Num. 35:1–15. 5So the Israelites divided the land as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
Caleb
6One day, while Israel was encamped at Gilgal, the people of Judah approached Joshua, including Caleb # 14:6 The name Caleb can be translated “dog.” However, because the name is actually a compound word in Hebrew, alternate meanings are “faithful,” “devoted,” “wholehearted,” “bold,” and “brave.” son of Jephunneh # 14:6 Jephunneh means “he will behold.” from the Kenizzite # 14:6 Kenizzite (see Gen. 15:19) means “possessor,” “spear-thrower,” or “hunter.” The descendants of Kenaz (Kenizzites), a non-Israelite people group, were later incorporated into the Judahite genealogy (see Judg. 1:13). clan. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what Yahweh said to Moses about you and me while we were still at Kadesh Barnea. 7I was forty years old when Moses, Yahweh’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land of Canaan, # 14:7 See Num. 13. and I brought back an honest and accurate report. # 14:7 Or “as it was in my heart” or “according to my convictions.” 8I have been faithful and obedient to Yahweh, my God. # 14:8 Or “I filled [myself] up with Yahweh, my God.” But my fellow spies who went with me only discouraged the people and made their hearts shrink back with fear. 9On that day, Moses made an oath and promised me, ‘Every part of the land your feet tread upon shall be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever because you were loyal to Yahweh, my God.’ # 14:9 See Num. 14:24, 30. Inheritance is based on obedience to the Lord.
10“So here I am. It’s been forty-five years since Yahweh made this promise to Moses, when Israel journeyed through the wilderness. Yahweh has preserved me, an eighty-five-year-old man, to this day. 11I’m still as strong today as on that day when Moses sent me out! I’m just as fit to go out to battle now as I was then. 12Now give me the hill country that Yahweh promised me on that day. You yourself were there and heard the report that the Anakim lived there in strong and fortified cities. I know that with the power of Yahweh helping me, I will drive them out, just as Yahweh said!” # 14:12 Caleb’s courage at eighty-five was incredible! He was neither weary nor intimidated by any giant. He knew God had promised him that land, and no giant was going to get in his way. Caleb was a giant-killer. Some scholars believe that he lived another twenty-five years enjoying his inheritance.
13Joshua spoke God’s blessing over Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since because he passionately followed Yahweh, the God of Israel. 15(Hebron used to be called the City of Arba, after Arba, the most famous of all the Anakim.) Then the land was free of war.
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Joshua 14: TPT
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